Sifters of Mercy, Guildford Terrace, Wellington

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 49, 9 December 1925, Page 15

Sifters of Mercy, Guildford Terrace, Wellington

COMBINED CONCERT BY PUPILS.

(From our own Correspondent.)

; The Concert Chamber of the Town Hall _/fiever seemed so small as on Wednesday evening week, when the Primary School Choir, the Secondary School pupils, and the more advanced pupils in the musical grades united to give pleasure to Wellington. Everybody knows the reputation of St. Mary’s. It / has kept its place, changeless though challenged, and in recent years the brilliant successes of its primary school choirs have extended that reputation to the ranks of the children. The names of its successful pupils spring to the —Teresa McEnroe, Mabel Esquilant, Mrs. Ellis, Agnes Segrief, Mary MoKeowen. It is St. Mary’s that has turned forth the band that delights concert-goers each St. Patrick’s Night. It caters for the classcial and for the simple in taste. And if there were no Teresa McEnroe’s in the list presented on Wednesday night at least the general result showed careful, training , and exquisite taste. Mallinson’s beautiful settings were in force on the programme. Miss Agnes McDavitt sang with vivacity and effect “Beautiful Beatrice,” and that lovely thing of Elgar’s “The Shepherd’s Song,” - which' is to be sung drowsily, like one who speaks from out a dream. She sang also a duet, “Devotion,” with Miss Scholium, who in her own numbers showed a certain quality of radiance. She was greatly applauded for “A Birthday” (Mallinson), and “Lotus Flower” (Schumann). Miss Myrtle Pigou’s / contributions were “Ave Maria” (Luzzi) and “Sapphic Ode” (Brahms). Her presentation of them was attractive. She sang also “The Londonderry Air” as a duet with Miss Gilpin. The soloist failed a little in” the spirit of the song. Miss Dorothy Dudson, who had the difficult task of beginning the programme, sang gracefully, “Mon Coeur s’ouvre a ta voix,” and “Caro mio ben” (Giordani). Miss Polly Carroll had the sweet notes of her race .in “Hush, Little One” (Bevignani) and “Gloriana” (Mallinson). The lullaby could perhaps have been sung a little more softly. Miss Eilla McMahon sang " skilfully “Farewell to My Home” (Catalan!) and “Spargi d’Amaro Pianto” (Donizetti), and Mrs. Vera Meban was pleasing in “Un bel Di Vedremo” (Puccini) and “Song of -- India.” To Miss Ailsa Dillon fell that bit of a thing, of Stevenson’s, “Sing Me a Song of a Lad that is Gone” and Massenet’s “Eyes of Blue.” Miss Ann Gilpin’s deep voice was heard in “Ombria hiai Fu” and she and Miss Quirk sang the two different settingsMallison’s and Franz’s — “0 Thank Me Not.” Very pretty was Mallinson’s “Cuckoo,” sung by Misses Scholium, Ellis, and Carroll, and the part song, “You Stole My Love,” with its reproachful little intonation. Now for the instrumental items. Misses Rutter and Maxwell played “Andante” and Variations” (Schumann) with great success afld A the audience showed its admiration for the J brilliant playing of Misses Isabel O’Regan and Mildred Sim in “Valse” (Arensky). The accompanistes were Misses Marjorie Keegan,

Mavis Dillon, Agnes Duncan, and Mrs. Lynch. Their work was unobtrusive, and therefore excellent. Now a word at the last for the Primary School Choir, so brilliantly trained by the Sisters of that school and conducted by their good friend, Mr. Oakes. “Well, its late, but we could have stood more of those little ones,” said a man on his way out, and one heard the remark on all sides. They are worth going miles to hear, even if, as happened on this occasion, some of their best

Priest-visitors to the Redemptorist House at Nocera Pagani, near Naples, after praying at the tomb of St. Alphonsus, view with par- • ticular interest a veritable relic in the sometime living-room and writing work-shop of an Apostle of Catholic literature. It is a , small table at which the Saint wrote his Moral Theology, his dogmatic and devotional works. Without a doubt he intended that i _ his spiritual children should do as he had done and extend the Kingdom of God by pen as well as by tongue. He dreamed Apostolic day-dreams in that little cell. He dreamed even of missions by his Congregation to the pagans of far Eastern Asia and that has come true. He never dreamed of Redemptorists carrying out his favorite Apostolate and the pen in these great far South Lands. And yet, that too is beginning to be realised. A few weeks ago the Catholic papers' heralded the advent of a fresh work on the Catholic Church, , written by a Redemptorist and printed in v j Australia. The book, entitled Some Catholic ,Principles for Present Needs, has just been published by Mr. E. J. Dwyer, George Street; , Sydney. The author, Very Rev. T. F. Walsh, M.A., O.SS.R., has been engaged for some years, in the Apostolic works of his Order in most of the great centres of Commonwealth and Dominion. If Father Walsh in the varied labors of a missionary has any specialisation, it is for Retreats to diocesan priests. As Clerical Retreat Master he has been invariably appreciated. The clergy and religious instructors of .youth will take particular - interest in his new book, as a reminder of his ~ able discourses in the time of spiritual exercises. Primarily intended for the Catholic laity, it will serve, as the foreword states, for the enlightenment and encouragement "of all seekers after truth. The pages, replete with judiciously selected matter, germane to the subject, convey the ; impression of exactness and kindliness. Originally delivered in lecture form in a Lismore' public hall, at the suggestion of Bishop Carroll, the addresses were so well received by mixed audiences of Catholics and non-Catholics’ that publication in permanent form was strongly suggested.

were-too sick to attend. Both tone and - volume are amazing for their size—the interpretation was wonderful too. They sang / “The May Bells” (Mendelssohn), “Autumn ; Days” (E. F. Davies), “The Changeringers” A (Markham Lee), “The Angel” and “Ye!/ Spotted^Snakes” (Rubinstein), “The Viking Song’’ (Taylor), and “Once Upon a Time”// (Bantock). The final “clang” in all its metallic harshness of the “Viking Song,” the clean cut quaintness of the final question , in “Once Upon a Time,” the mellow chiming of their bell-like throats in “The Changeringers,” and the dreamy sweetness of that Shaksperian lullaby, “Ye Spotted Snakes,” M are only a few of the things that linger in the memory. Everyone is hoping that the / whole of this fine concert will be repeated.

Redemptorist Authors

A Word About the Author. Father Walsh was born in Cork, and made his studies in humanities with the Christian Brothers, his Philosophy" and Theology, in the studendate of his Order. He graduated with distinction at the National "University of Ireland. While acting as Professor and Director of the Redemptorist Preparatory « College of Limerick, he took the degrees of B.A. and M.A. in order to stimulate the students under his care. Experience as a successful teacher and practice as a successful preacher qualify him as book-instructor to young and old. Father Walsh, presently Vice-Provincial of Redemptorist Fathers in Great South Lands was for some years Provincial of his Congregation in Ireland. It is refreshing to not© that Redemptorists in Australia join the galaxy of distinguished Redemptorist writers, who are fast forming f a valued Redemptorist library in Englishspeaking countries. The name “Walsh” is : now added to names of distinction, such as Bridgett, Vassall-Phillips, Stebbing, Muller, Gerardey, Mageean, Geiermann, Coyle, Griffith, Carr, and Living. In the domain of Theology many priests have on their shelves, the Moral Theologies of Marc, Aertneys, Konnings, and even Father Damen, present Professor in the Propaganda College, Rome. • All over the Continent of Europe sons of St. Alphonsus, “Apostle of the Pen,” have made their mark as authors and as writers in Catholic magazines and ecclesiastical reviews. Perhaps the most notable of these modern Redemptorist authors is the French Father Berthe, whose Life of St. Alphonsus is a classic in' biography. Father Berthe’s Sistory of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and Father Stebbings Story of the Catholic Church are well deserving of prominent place in every! Catholic library. Father Tim's Talks by a Father McEnniry, which first appeared in the American Liijuorian, has become in book form, a vogue in the United States'. There is a great future in Australia for Redemptorist activities in the field of . Catholie literature. . N No one knows his strength in peace. If there be no combat we cannot give proof| of our virtues. —St. Gregory. •